I Love Aaron Hicks!

[Moose Milligan]

4 hours ago, Spakman said:

Drop Lester and McKenna. Platoon Mountcastle and O’Hearn at first or DH.  Santander DH’s or plays first. Hicks in right. I would not totally give up on Mountcastle just yet. 

Drop Lester and McKenna.  And trade Mountcastle.  O'Hearn and Santander at first.  

Bring up Cowser and Westburg.  Hicks in RF, then Cowser in RF when Hicks cools.  Westburg in the infield rotation.

Who says no?

 

[wildcard]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

Drop Lester and McKenna.  And trade Mountcastle.  O'Hearn and Santander at first.  

Bring up Cowser and Westburg.  Hicks in RF, then Cowser in RF when Hicks cools.  Westburg in the infield rotation.

Who says no?

 

The team is on a 101 win pace with the players they have.  Elias is not going to change more than he has to IMO.

When Mullins is ready,   McKenna is optioned.  Not dropped.

If it were me I would try to fit Mountcastle at this point.   The team is doing fine without him so let him go to AAA on  a 20 day rehab and work on his plate discipline and swing decisions.     He has options  and he is making close to the minimum (even less in the minors).    Take what every time is need to improve his hitting.   Just  think how good he could be if he had better plate discipline.

There is not much playing time of Cowser or Westburg with the O's right now.   It will take an injury to make room for either of them.   Frazier and Santander are probably gone next year.  That will make space of them.

Grayson should start at AAA today or tomorrow.   If he pitches well he will be in line to start of the O's on June 27th when the 5th starter  is needed.    I would move Irvin to the pen as a 2+ inning reliever.  He may be pretty good once through the lineup.  He can also spot start against selected teams to give the starters an extra days rest.

Edited June 21, 2023 by wildcard

[Moose Milligan]

3 minutes ago, wildcard said:

The team is on a 101 win pace with the players they have.  Elias is not going to change more than he has to IMO.

When Mullins is ready,   McKenna is optioned.  Not dropped.

If it were me I would try to fit Mountcastle at this point.   The team is doing fine without him so let him go to AAA on  a 20 day rehab and work on his plate discipline and swing decisions.     He has options  and he is making close to the minimum (even less in the minors).    Take what every time is need to improve his hitting.   Just  think how good he could be if he had better plate discipline.

We agree that Elias isn't going to change much.

But Mountcastle is the one thing he should change.  And I've grown tired of thinking how good he could be if he had better plate discipline.  He doesn't.  He never has.  And odds are, he never will. 

In other words, Mountcastle has set the bar so low for 1B productivity, it will not be hard to find a better player.  .686 OPS, 89 OPS+, .264 OBP.  You can't have a first baseman with those numbers.

But you made my case for me.  The team is doing fine without him, there's no need to bring him back and give him significant playing time.  If you want to send him down, fine.  I'd prefer to trade him, whatever.  Just don't want him on the 26 man and playing often.

[Moose Milligan]

But also, @wildcardgetting rid of Mountcastle in some way makes keeping Hicks in the lineup easier.  And that's clearly an upgrade.

[wildcard]

19 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

But also, @wildcardgetting rid of Mountcastle in some way makes keeping Hicks in the lineup easier.  And that's clearly an upgrade.

There is no hurt in sending him to AAA to work on his plate discipline.   Optioning him if needed.   You  don't have to watch him at AAA.   They have not tried to work with him at AAA since 2019.     It could add to his overall value if they are able to fix him.    Instead of just  trying to trade him at his low point.

[Moose Milligan]

22 minutes ago, wildcard said:

There is no hurt in sending him to AAA to work on his plate discipline.   Optioning him if needed.   You  don't have to watch him at AAA.   They have not tried to work with him at AAA since 2019.     It could add to his overall value if they are able to fix him.    Instead of just  trying to trade him at his low point.

I don't disagree.  I just don't want him on the major league roster.

[Sports Guy]

Mountcastle/OHearn 1B platoon is fine.

Cowser, Hays and Mullins OF. Santander at DH.

Whatever combo of Ortiz/Henderson/Westburg in the other 3 IF positions.

Urias gets 3-5 starts a week at all IF positions.

Hicks fills in everywhere in the OF a few times a week.

 

Edited June 21, 2023 by Sports Guy

[mddisney]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

Mountcastle/OHearn 1B platoon is fine.

Cowser, Hays and Mullins OF. Santander at DH.

Whatever combo of Ortiz/Henderson/Westburg in the other 3 IF positions.

Urias gets 3-5 starts a week at all IF positions.

Hicks fills in everywhere in the OF a few times a week.

brilliant, problem solved.  

[deward]

22 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

But also, @wildcardgetting rid of Mountcastle in some way makes keeping Hicks in the lineup easier.  And that's clearly an upgrade.

It's clearly an upgrade based on the 17 games Hicks has played with the O's and the last couple of months of Mountcastle. Not so clear based on the two years prior to that.

[interloper]

I want the young guys as much as anyone else, but I can also appreciate that it's cool adding a 33-year old veteran to the  clubhouse mix (while he's productive at least). He's got that mercenary vibe like in the Mighty Ducks when they brought over Adam Banks from the evil team LMAO.

Tons of experience playing in the AL East and doing well there until his struggles. Big presence in the box, makes all the plays in CF, works pitchers. He's been huge, it's so funny. 

And O'Hearn? We all hated that pickup lol. Guy looks like vintage Aubrey Huff except he's not a dickhead. 

Edited June 21, 2023 by interloper

[Moose Milligan]

3 minutes ago, deward said:

It's clearly an upgrade based on the 17 games Hicks has played with the O's and the last couple of months of Mountcastle. Not so clear based on the two years prior to that.

I'm not sure what the point is.  

Aaron Hicks has 10 walks for the Orioles so far compared to Mountcastle's 12 walks.  In 198 less plate appearances.

I don't care what Hicks has done over the past two years.  He wasn't healthy.  

But you don't need health to have good plate discipline.  Ryan Mountcastle, no matter this year or last year hasn't had good plate discipline.  He is who he is from that perspective.

Some people want him as a platoon with O'Hearn.  I'd begrudgingly accept that because that doesn't mean he's always starting.  But this roster becomes way more flexible and arguably better without his presence.

[orioles22]

3 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

Drop Lester and McKenna.  And trade Mountcastle.  O'Hearn and Santander at first.  

Bring up Cowser and Westburg.  Hicks in RF, then Cowser in RF when Hicks cools.  Westburg in the infield rotation.

Who says no?

 

I say leave Cowser where he is until he has a spot to play every day. I'm not wild about the idea of Santander at first either or having both Ortiz and Westburg on the bench when they could be playing every day. Make a trade or leave them alone.

[HelenaEngineer]

3 minutes ago, orioles22 said:

I say leave Cowser where he is until he has a spot to play every day. I'm not wild about the idea of Santander at first either or having both Ortiz and Westburg on the bench when they could be playing every day. Make a trade or leave them alone.

I am a Yes on Cowser. Maybe watching one more ball not being caught in RF last night tipped me over the edge. I would bring up Cowser and play him in a platoon role - where he gets to play way more often than not. Primary OF vs RHP is Hays/Mullins/Cowser and vs LHP is Hays/Mullins/Hicks. Hicks also gets some time spelling Hays vs some righties and Mullins when he needs a break - which keeps all 4 outfielders fresh and gives a strong bat on the bench for late inning situations. Santander becomes primary DH and gets spot time at 1B/OF depending on injuries, matchups and rest days needed.

I think the infield is a lot more complicated. I don't see the point in having both Ortiz and Westburg up when you are not even giving Ortiz playing time to begin with. Pick one of those two and give him pretty regular at bats and keep the other one sharp in Norfolk. For the short term, an O'Hearn / Mountcastle platoon at 1B is appealing. If Mountcastle gets hot and O'Hearn tapers off, you can adjust. That also gives you a strong PH option for late innings.

[Safelykept]

22 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Mountcastle/OHearn 1B platoon is fine.

Cowser, Hays and Mullins OF. Santander at DH.

Whatever combo of Ortiz/Henderson/Westburg in the other 3 IF positions.

Urias gets 3-5 starts a week at all IF positions.

Hicks fills in everywhere in the OF a few times a week.

 

I could see Hicks losing ABs to Hays, Santander, or Mullins but the way he's been playing not to Cowser. If you stick with Mountcastle, no room for Cowser unless he replaces Mckenna which would result in little playing time If you put Santander in the platoon with O'Hearn that could give Cowser the Hicks role you just spelled out

[deward]

14 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I'm not sure what the point is.  

Aaron Hicks has 10 walks for the Orioles so far compared to Mountcastle's 12 walks.  In 198 less plate appearances.

I don't care what Hicks has done over the past two years.  He wasn't healthy.  

But you don't need health to have good plate discipline.  Ryan Mountcastle, no matter this year or last year hasn't had good plate discipline.  He is who he is from that perspective.

Some people want him as a platoon with O'Hearn.  I'd begrudgingly accept that because that doesn't mean he's always starting.  But this roster becomes way more flexible and arguably better without his presence.

My point is that, prior to this two week heater, Hicks hasn't been a better offensive option than Mountcastle since 2020. He played 130 games last year and put an OPS of .642. Sure, he walked more than Mountcastle, but he didn't do anything else. Hicks isn't as good as he looks right now, and Mountcastle probably isn't as bad as he's looked over the last 50 games. O'Hearn also isn't as good as he looks right now. 

Mounty is certainly replaceable, and I have no problems with him losing PT while other guys are hot, but I wouldn't rule out a scenario where he becomes the best option out of those three in the 2nd half of the year.